Writing Your Own Subliminal Messages Or Affirmations

Subliminal messages in the form of affirmation are some of the best methods to overcome several life issues, from physical to mental health. Sometimes you just want to have them to maintain excellent disposition or outlook about life.

Moreover, you have the power to create your own subliminal messages or affirmation. This is excellent since there's no one else who better knows your current crises than yourself (despite of what professionals may tell you). This can also be a good test on how severe the issues are. Even at the end of formulating the affirmations or subliminal messages, you will already start feeling empowered or motivated, knowing there's definitely something you can do.

Here are some tips on how you're going to do that:

Find a quiet time and place to write. It's not recommended to write the subliminal anytime you like, especially if you're in a very disturbing or noisy environment. The chatter, movement of people, and business of life can definitely take a lot of your attention. When you're writing subliminal messages it's important you can focus on yourself and the issues you want to face.

Be very specific. The subliminal messages should not be neutral. They should refer to the challenges; otherwise, they are not going to make any sense, and they cannot go much deeper into your subconscious. It is also suggested that you make use of the first-person pronoun-that is, not "you," "we," "us," or "them." After all, the person who is currently in struggle is just you and no one else.

Write the subliminal messages in different places. It's advisable that you write the affirmations in a journal, which you can also utilize to keep track of your progress. However, you may want to maintain a copy of the messages inside your car or post them in other areas of the house, such as in the bathroom or bedroom. Make sure they are easy to read, so you don't have to spend a lot of time understanding what has been written. Moreover, take time to read and allow the message to get into your system. Understand what the words mean and their significance in your life.

Be inspired. Sometimes it's difficult for you to produce some subliminal messages. It can help you if you will be a little more inspired. You can browse through the Internet or read books that contain quotes or mantras. You can customize them to fit your present situation.

Make use of a program. There are also several programs you can already download. What they do is to assist you in making the affirmations. It's a good thing you can also customize them by changing some of the settings.

It may take a while before you can feel the effects of the subliminal messages in your life. After all, you cannot end a deep issue overnight. Nevertheless, you have the messages to encourage you to press on and move forward, knowing you have every ability to end up the victor.

Low Thyroid Level Symptoms, The TSH Test And What It Actually Tells You

Studying Low Thyroid Level Symptoms?

Discuss with several people who are studying much about their low thyroid level symptoms. They look at the symptoms as a mixture of illnesses and afterward they just assume that "they have it," whether they have been examined or not. Please reserve that the symptoms billed at this point are no more than to pique interest. They actually indicate nothing until they go through the aptitude of a qualified medical doctor. So here are some of the greatest common low thyroid level symptoms:

1. Chilly hands and feet when they should not be especially in the Summertime You have freezing feet & socks just to sleep at night.

2. Drained invariably even after a full nights sleep.

3. Not able to drop Body Fat, even after harsh exercise & calorie counting in two to three weeks. It is cheaper for someone to map your Calorie intake and watch your weight fluctuation.

4. Constipation, plus substitute of numerous seeds and fiber to alleviate symptoms.

5. Brain blur, depression, that obstruct you from eating or miniature amounts of slimming exercise. This is constant in low thyroid function patients

6. Ahead of schedule menopause or irregular menstruation. Problems with getting pregnant and loss of libido. Many women have high postpartum depression. I want to advise that multiple factors can attain this. But be sure you have acceptable serum free T3, a convenient 24-hour urine test for T3 and T4. Not just a fair test lab. The urine should be checked by a picture spectrometer.. All alternative tests are exceedingly suspicious..

7. High cholesterol, if the thyroid is low, as measured by logical analysis, for the reason that the liver does not eradicate cholesterol from the blood and then you will be labeled as a heart patient, and prescribed lots of unearned chemicals that robbed you of your dollar and your vigor.

8. Now further symptoms occur, but exceptionally countless & do not suggest strongly enough that poor cellular function is the culprit due to the deprivation of adequate levels of T3 Remember, you want to unveil your level of T3

So How Do We Find The Level Of T3?

This is the fundamental approach to capture low thyroid (T3). Examination of the patient. Wherever else will you discern a low thyroid level? To start with textbooks warned doctors about the history and physical appearance a lot about lab tests. History suggests that is very sensible advice. All laboratory tests and X-ray studies with isotopes were investigated in approved low thyroid patients. Do you suspect what the results were? None. But the best of the worst was the blood TSH. You remember the one who will suggest the level of T4? The inactive thyroid gland.. T4 You know, what drug companies sell to you while uneducated doctors badmouth the natural pork balanced thyroid gland was discovered to be of advanced quality.

Was This Peer Reviewed?

This was published in the New England Journal February issue of 1999, that low thyroid level symptoms should be assessed by examination. In general, this document was on a small assemblage of thirty-eight patients, but a strange conclusion from the addition of T3 has many patients feel healthier.

Additional low thyroid level symptoms are as follows. Eyebrows are diluted or nonexistent at the last 33% of the eyebrow. Overweight (but I have discovered about 15% of hypothyroidism patients are skinny.. Go figure). A diluted pulse of around seventy or lower. Eyes are puffed-up under the covers, there is a puffiness under the eyes.. Skin is powdery & dry, sometimes cracked. Fingernails are broken. The lower limbs have been bloated and do not indent when you push a finger and hold it for 1 minute. Commonly the thyroid gland is enlarged and has a thumbnail, intermediate or large goiter. The first heart signal is not as distinguished as the subsequent, and the person appears in a daze. The ankle reflexes are almost always a regular low or nonexistent even if the knee and elbow reflexes are good.

Some doctors may possibly be able to physically feel the thyroid gland. They can tell you whether it is swollen. The gland will increase in an endeavor to create more TSH more if the body is low thyroid levels. This is not an accurate science. I've looked at & felt thyroid glands for greater than eighteen years and it is still complicated, the right mode to reveal whether the gland is raised, is to have an ultrasound done.

So What About Thyroid Cancer?

Absolutely we're concerned of thyroid cancer. They're rather few and far between though. Besides, there may possibly be nodules on the thyroid gland, that call for a needle biopsy or even surgical requests. This is the realm of a surgeon and an endocrinologist.

Conclusion

Established Medicine due to politics think that blood test technology for the TSH Levels is the most reliable. It would be if the reference points that they use for the TSH Levels were not gathered from pregnant women when they came in to get blood tests. Are the TSH levels the same with pregnant women as they are with everyone? I think not. Plus, the standard TSH Test only measures the T4 and not the T3. This is bad since we need to know both to see if your thyroid is actually converting the T4 to T3.

For some reason this is not standard. It amazes me and sickens me because many people go on everyday being told that their thyroid is fine when they are suffering and causing undue damage to their body.

Where Does Workplace Mobbing Get Started?

Workplace mobbing can best be described as two or more people that target an individual to bully, harass and make their working atmosphere and their personal life totally undesirable. Research has shown that bullying and mobbing start in a child's early years of development and continues into their adult life.

We have all heard about or even experienced that playground bully in school that bosses around the other kids or takes their lunch money every day by way of intimidation. They always have a small group of other kids that are followers who laugh and taunt the target of this bullying.

This is where the mob mentality is developed which persists into adulthood and ultimately into the workplace. These same personalities that caused so much stress in childhood and developed the organizational skills to gather a mob have progressed into the workplace as bullies not to mention what they do in their personal relationships.

Workplace mobbing can be a particularly unhealthy environment to be in especially if you are the target of the mob and its leader. It can lead to not only psychological problems but actual physical ones as well. There is a much higher stress level involved with being the victim or even friend of a victim which is extremely unhealthy and can cause all kinds of physical ailments such as persistent headaches, stiff necks, manic depression and even cancer and heart attacks.

If you find yourself the target of this type of workplace harassment you need to take it to your upper management, HR department and immediate supervisor to put an immediate stop to it. Your psychological and physical health depend on it. Our workplaces are stressful enough without the addition of being bullied by a bunch of other people wanting to be a part of the bully's group.

How to Spot Manic Depression (Bipolar)

WHAT IS MANIC DEPRESSION?

We all have our ups and downs, but if you're suffering from manic depression, or bipolar disorder, these mood swings are more severe. The extreme highs and lows of bipolar disorder can disrupt daily activities and damage relationships. And although it's treatable, many people don't recognize the warning signs and fail to get the help they need. Since bipolar disorder tends to worsen without treatment, it's important to learn how to spot manic depression. Recognizing the problem is the first step to getting it under control.

SYMPTOMS OF MANIC DEPRESSION

There are several symptoms that are quite specific to manic depression, and recognizing them is how to spot manic depression.

There are four types of mood episodes that can occur in bipolar disorder, each with a unique pattern of symptoms:

• Mania


• Hypomania


• Depression


• Mixed Episode

We can now look at the symptoms of each of these episodes in turn. In this way, I hope to help you know how to spot the symptoms of manic depression and to help either yourself or someone close to you get the help that they need.

MANIA: Do you know someone who, for certain brief periods of between a couple of weeks and a couple of months, can seem so full of energy that they can walk a mile a minute or seems to need no sleep at all? Then read on! The mania episode of the cycle is typically that. Whilst this episode may seem fine at first, and to onlookers can even seem funny, it can spiral out of control.

Other common signs include:

• Feeling unusually optimistic, high or irritable


• Unnatural perceptions of ones own ability and mortality - the person can literally feel like "Superman"


• Feeling really energetic although they have had little sleep


• Talking so rapidly that no one else can keep up


• Racing thoughts and jumping from one subject to the next


• Unable to concentrate


• Lack of judgment or increased impulsiveness


• Delusions and hallucinations in severe cases

HYPOMANIA: This is a milder form of mania. The person will feel overly optimistic and euphoric and enthusiastic but will definitely not include delusions and hallucinations.Most of us may feel that the person is just in a good mood. The thing is, how realistically can one person stay in such a good mood? This is a dangerous time in the manic depressive cycle as, if you don't recognize how to spot manic depression, it can spiral into full blown mania.

DEPRESSION: Unlike normal depression, when it is part of this cycle, the person tends to speak very slowly and seem un naturally tired. The opposite, in fact of Mania. There are also the usual symptoms of depression that the person may exhibit, and these are as follows;

• Feeling hopeless, sad, or empty.


• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy


• Fatigue or loss of energy


• Physical and mental sluggishness


• Appetite or weight changes


• Sleeping too much or too little


• Concentration and memory problems


• Feelings of self-loathing, shame, or guilt


• Thoughts of death or suicide

MIXED EPISODE: A mixed episode of manic depression has symptoms of both mania and depression. Common signs of this stage include agitation, irritability, insomnia, appetite changes, loss of contact with reality and suicidal thoughts. This is a risky combination and makes it a particularly high risk of suicide.

I know that this is a worrying illness and that you will be feeling very anxious, but there is help and hope, and I wish you luck in your journey.

Employment Law - Vicarious Liability - Harassment - Depression

The case of Hammond v INTC Network Services Ltd [2007], concerned issues relating to vicarious liability where a claimant complained that the defendant's conduct causing him to suffer clinical depression. The claimant in this case was employed by the defendant until he was eventually made redundant.

The claimant was suffering from clinical depression which he maintained had been caused principally by the conduct of the defendant, its employees or agents. He alleged that this was either negligent or amounted to harassment contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 ("the Act").

The claimant made a number of allegations in relation to the employer's conduct that he argued amounted to harassment. The conduct in question included the fact that he had been moved to another part of a project for a week.

In response to the defendant's reliance on contemporaneous documents, the claimant asserted that the documents had either been forged or altered.

The court, in applying settled principles, held that conduct had to have an element of real seriousness in order to amount to harassment under the Act. The conduct had to be deemed to be oppressive and unacceptable. If interpretation of the law meant that employers were faced with allegations of harassment every time that they made an operational decision, the commercial world would grind to a halt.

Furthermore, the court felt that it was important in a negligence claim concerned with workplace stress that in order for an employer to be liable it had to be demonstrated that the employer knew (or ought to have known) that the employee would not be able to withstand the pressure of the job.

The court further felt that the documents were genuine contemporaneous documents, and were the best evidence of the defendant's conduct at the time in question. They established that the events leading up to the employee's redundancy either did not happen at all, or were the result of reasonable management decisions. The court therefore stated that this case was the complete opposite of harassment. Accordingly in such circumstances neither claim could be allowed to succeed. In addition, and in relation to the claim for negligence, the claimant had not shown that his disorder had been foreseeable by the defendant. As a result, the court dismissed the claims.

© RT COOPERS, 2007. This Briefing Note does not provide a comprehensive or complete statement of the law relating to the issues discussed nor does it constitute legal advice. It is intended only to highlight general issues. Specialist legal advice should always be sought in relation to particular circumstances.

Signs to Prevent Athlete Suicide

Any time an athlete commits suicide is a tragedy. The sporting community is mourning the loss of four gifted athletes. Rick Rypien, 27, who recently signed with the Winnipeg Jets in the National Hockey League, is the most recent athlete to have committed suicide. Derek Boogaard, 28, another NHL player, Jeret 'Speedy' Peterson, 29, U.S. Olympic silver medalist freestyle skier and Dave Duerson, 50, former NFL player with the Chicago Bears, also committed suicide earlier this year.

Sports, athletes and mental health make unusual bed fellows. The typical athlete appears strong in body and mind. However like the general population, athletes experience depression, anxiety and mood disorders.

Because athletes are granted hero status, it is difficult to accept their personal struggles with issues affecting their mindset and stability. Some causes are sports-related such as repetitive blunt trauma to the head injuries leading to concussions. Whereas others are due to life circumstances or hereditary predisposition. Regardless of the circumstances, the sporting community does a disservice to athletes who take their life because they were unable to find relief from their symptoms.

By embracing a new attitude in sports, these deaths could have been avoided. Viewing depression and other mental health issues as a stigma is based upon ignorance. The stance can be turned around with education and support from the leagues, teams and the sporting industry.

• Mental illness does afflict athletes. They are not immune. Depression, anxiety and other disorders affect athletes at the same rate as the general population. Coaches are on the front line with their athletes. Minimizing the signs of depression and anxiety is not acceptable.


• Mental health issues are not a sign of weakness. Just like physical problems, mental health problems are manageable. An athlete with a broken leg would be required to see the team doctor. Then treat athletes suffering from depression or anxiety the same way. Require they see a trained professional for assistance as well.


• Remove the stigma. These athletes are not crazy. They are; however, reluctant to confide in their coach because of the possible consequences. Avoiding the issue only lengthens the amount of time the athlete suffers. Coaches who punish athletes for depression or anxiety are operating from ignorance. Taking away an athletes sport because of emotional health issues is a disservice to the athlete and the team. The sport might be the saving grace for that athlete.


• Inherent risk for athletes. Even the best athlete suffers from periods of anxiety or depression. Elite athletes are under a significantly high amount of stress. The constant pressure to perform can provoke these conditions. Head injuries, concussions and the resulting depression have been blamed for the high number of suicides among athletes. As a result these players suffer from lowered quality of life due to serious injuries sustained while competing.

When an athlete suddenly commits suicide, it gets attention from the media and the public. Suicide in and of itself is a tragedy. No one population is immune. Until depression and other emotional health issues are accepted, the stigma will continue to take it's toll on our athletes.

Athletes, like warriors, are expected to be tough, resilient, durable and perfect. Perceiving anxiety, depression or uncontrolled rage as a weakness causes the afflicted athlete to deny their experience. Instead of seeking help they attempt to cover it up. No one wants to be stigmatized. When something extreme happens, such as abuse, addiction or suicide, everyone is surprised.

Slumps and chokes are some of the more common terms used for athletes anxious about being judged, performing under extreme pressure or fearful. Frequently mental health issues will be masked by bad behavior. Often alcohol, drugs, gambling, spousal abuse and anger are outward symptoms of the internal struggles.

Embrace a new motto, friends don't let friends die. Now is the time to turn this around. Prevent another unnecessary suicide. Fellow athletes, coaches, and other support persons have a responsibility to learn the signs of a troubled athlete. Just like injured athletes are required to seek medical attention, the league can easily develop a system for making a referral to a trained professional for mental health assessments and treatment. It is a matter of responsibility to our athletes and our community at large.

Now is the time to eradicate the stigma attached to emotional health issues. With more and more teams using sports psychologists, access to professional help is easier than ever. Education is the key to reducing the suicide rate. Learn the signs and know what to do. It is that simple.

Activity: Get educated. Pay attention when talking with other athletes. No one is expecting you to fix their problems. They are, however, looking for validation of their experience. Don't deny or minimize their reality. It is very real to that individual.

If you believe someone is experiencing depression and or suicidal thoughts ask if they have someone to speak to about those things. Encourage them to seek out a professional. They don't need to suffer or deal with this on their own.

Do you know an athlete suffering from depression or anxiety? Left alone, quality of life becomes affected. With the right tools, and support, it is possible to turn it around. Performance is directly impacted by mood. Instead of feeling like you can't change anything, learn about the resources available.

Depression and Divorce - Helping Your Children Cope With Both

Divorce has many effects on children. No two children will react in exactly the same way. That's why parents need to be diligent about watching for signs and indications that your child may be having problems coping with this difficult reality.

Depression is one of the more common reactions we see in children of divorce. Unfortunately, many parents entirely miss or misinterpret the signs of depression. It can take many forms including behavior that is distancing, lethargic and withdrawn. This is often accompanied by a drop in school grades. But depression can also show in other ways, such as agitation, frustration and aggression.

When depression takes that form, parents are likely to think of it in terms of discipline problems and respond with punishment. It takes maturity and a broader perspective to stand back and realize that your child's misbehavior may actually be a way of communicating how they are feeling. Their confusion, anger, resentment and powerlessness to control their life circumstances get expressed physically because they don't know how to verbalize those complex emotions.

Understanding and compassion go a long way toward opening that door to communication. Instead of punishment, try talking about your new family situation and acknowledging areas that can be improved. Ask for suggestions. Try to get feedback, to create a dialogue rather than lecturing.

The key for parents is in finding more time for emotional support and reassurance to help your child feel less alone or isolated - especially by the new circumstances in his or her life. If extended family - grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are not close by, this becomes even more essential. Children need the support of emotional anchors - close family and friends - and the consequences of divorce too often isolates them from the very people who can best help them through the transition. For this reason you as a parent must continuously keep your eyes open for signs of emotional distress - and then quickly respond with love, attention, compassion and both physical and emotional support.

Studies show that the rate of serious depression is increasing in children - up from 2% a generation ago to 23% for children up to age 20. Not all of it is divorce related, of course, but it still should be a wake-up call to parents. Don't beat yourself up with guilt. That doesn't serve any one in the family. But do be alert so you can address issues that come up early on, before they lead to far greater problems.

Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression - Ignoring Or Being Oblivious of the Signs Can Wreak Havoc

Experiencing great fatigue is not much of a surprise when you suffer from bipolar disorder. After all you have been spending a lot of energy bumping around inanely when you were in the manic phase of the syndrome. And now that you feel down in the dumps, also pointlessly I might add, you have begun to feel the characteristic lack of energy.

Well, that's how it is with the mental disarray, and it is going to happen again, and again, constantly getting worse, until you get yourself some medical attention.

You know that feeling of being worn out like you have been carrying a heavy burden? Of course, that very feeling. That's bipolar disorder for you. You probably don't even know why you are feeling so down, particularly since you were practically ecstatic only yesterday. No surprises there either. Manic-depressive people never know why it happens to them, it just does. And the only way to get rid of it is through the right medication... and that under supervision.

It is probably no news that depressed people often have difficulty thinking, culminating in poor concentration and problems with memory. What might shock you is if you saw them outside picking a fight for no apparent reason when only minutes ago they could not even get off of the bed because 'the sky was going to fall down on us all!' Yeah sure, that happens too, when the depression has pushed the sufferer to bipolar disorder. So, rather than drop your jaw, drop your handbag, and get your friend some serious help seriously.

How Do I Know If I Have Bipolar Disorder And What Should I Do About It?

What is Bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that manifests itself in a person through ups and downs in moods and energy levels. Many a time, it is confused with depression and sporadic mood swings. However, it must be understood that bipolar disorder is not a state of mind. It is a brain disorder - a mental illness which is long term. Till now, no permanent cure has been found for the same. What is it all about then...read on!

Bipolar disorder causes the victims to swing between two entirely different moods. Sometimes, they might be extremely euphoric and excited. Other times, they will be melancholy and dejected. As the word bipolar rightly indicates, there are two parts - mania and depression. Apart from mood swings, other symptoms include going on a spending spree, reduced need for sleep, increased feeling of sensuality and sexual drive, easy irritability, abysmal faith in oneself and so on. The disorder is fairly entrenched if there is an urge to commit suicide or lack of willingness to live. If you have any friends/relatives who keep talking about their lack of desire to live, then its time to rush them to a doctor.

How does bipolar disorder occur?

How does bipolar disorder occur? A lot of it has got to do with genes. Genetically, bipolar disorder gets transferred to the next generation. However, research also shows that it is not merely genetic. For, if one of the identical twins has the disorder, the other necessarily doesn't. Thus, it is a combination of genes plus other factors. Unfortunately, there are no medical tests that can detect bipolar disorders. No scan or blood test can help. The disorder can be diagnosed only through an understanding of the symptoms, family medical history, environment and so on.

The disorder can occur among children, adolescents, and the old. Among children, there is a chance that diagnosis is slightly more difficult because it may be confused with other typical behavior of children like hyperactivity due to lack of attention, consistent disobedience, irritability and so on.

Can bipolar disorder be treated?

Yes, it sure can. It is seen that those patients who obtain treatment achieve stabilization in their mood swings. They realize that they have a mental illness but cope with it well and lead normal lives. Treatment is done in two ways - medication and psychosocial therapies.

In the case of medication as a treatment, mood stabilizers (medicines with the ability to stabilize mood) are administered for a period of time. The frequency and duration of medicines would vary from person to person. The top most used medicine in this category is Lithium. It is safe to use Lithium even among children and adolescents.

The second type of treatment is the psychosocial therapy. Here, the patient is generally spoken to and counseling is done. While a physician would be able to prescribe the necessary medication, it would be advisable to take the help of a psychiatrist from the beginning of the treatment.

Before going in for any treatment, there needs to be complete discussion among the patient, his/her family and the physician/psychiatrist. For example, if a pregnant woman suffering from bipolar disorder takes mood stabilizing medicines, it might affect the to-be-born. Some of the side-effects may include weight gain, hair loss, lack of sexual drive and so on. When such adverse side effects can be seen, the patient needs to approach the physician and with the psychiatrist's advice, change the dosage and course of medication.

Other than medication and psycho social therapy, a third form of treatment can also be used for those with chronic disorder. This is called the Electroconvulsive therapy which can be used when medication or the psychosocial therapy do not work. It could also be used when the disorder is more severe leading to suicidal tendencies.

Conclusion

There is nothing to fear if you are affected with the disorder. All you need is speaking to the physician next door, taking your psychiatrist into confidence. Follow the prescribed medication and treatment; you will notice a world of a difference. If you are a person living with someone with a bipolar disorder, do not panic. Seek appropriate medical help and persevere. You will be the one they will derive strength from. Be sure that you provide continued support even after the treatment is over.

Create Rejuvenation, Not Depression During the Holiday Season

This is a time of year when it is easy to slip into stressed and depressed states. Instead of having the holiday season be a call to celebration, some choose to focus on what they have lost. It is also a time when people have vintage memories of their loved ones on the side of Light.

Spirit sees this time as one of rejuvenation. As long as you allow yourself to envision better days while you move forward, you will start to feel a shift of energy within. It represents the beauty of who you are. On a soul level, consider it to be as vibrant as the young ones who filter in and out of your life. Those who have passed want you to move forward; to respect your life enough to do so.

This is a time of spiritual growth. Actually, we need you to grow on your path of physical living by having the Golden Side be inclusive in your thoughts. This is a great time to feel life in a renewed format. Whether your current path is a struggle or not, your future can and will be dictated by your attitude in the now. It is your decision, your choices, that determine how deeply you want to succeed, emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially and much more.

Wouldn't it be great to have the power to create anything you want? It has already been given to you! Your soul arrived with your conception. It makes for a life filled with potential. You need only to embrace the light within, in order to fulfill it. You are a powerful tool in this world. The events and episodes that can disrupt it are mere inconveniences to your progress when you allow your heart and soul to be emblazoned by the power of your Higher Self. Be the bright Light you want to see in others. When you lead the way, the only thing that can slow you down is the negativity of your own mental activity.

We have said all of this for a reason. We want you to see the difference you can make when you do not let the ups, and especially the downs, needle you. This is your chance to prove your own worthiness to yourself. It is also a chance for you to be able to see that even during the most importune times, and perhaps the times when you least expect it, there is a guardian spirit with you to help you, to praise you, to encourage you and to give you the boost you need in order to make the difference we are speaking about. Some of you have been going through rougher times than usual. If you are not experiencing it firsthand, then almost everybody knows somebody who is.

Being Able to Detect Mental Illnesses

Mental illnesses are biological brain disorders that many people suffer from, through no fault of their own. They cannot be wished away or combated through will power. While there are very real stigmas associated with these illnesses, the best way to get by is to diagnose the problem, study mental health treatment options and seek social support.

One group of mental illnesses is centered on serious depression. The World Health Organization reported that Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar is the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada.

Many people wonder how to tell the difference between serious mental illness and just having "the blues." The American Psychiatric Association characterizes clinical depression by time endured. If "the blues" don't go away within two weeks, then there may be a more serious underlying problem.

Other symptoms prey upon the body and make the simplest of day-to-day tasks almost impossible. These include decreased energy and motivation, loss of pleasure in hobbies, social withdrawal, thoughts of death or suicide, feelings of helplessness, guilt and worthlessness, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite and persistent emptiness.

It is believed that most depression is caused by the lack of naturally-occurring monoamines like serotonin, norephinephrine and dopamine. Antidepressants can help stimulate production of monoamines and psychotherapy can further prevent relapses.

Another group of mental illnesses are the personality disorders. These involve ongoing patterns of thoughts and actions and create social impairment for the sufferer. For example, the person with Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD) withdraws from social contact and has an intense fear of inadequacy and being disliked.

There are extreme fears of being rejected or of being in social situations, making it much like a chronic phobia or panic disorder at times. In fact, research suggests that approximately 50% of the people who have agoraphobia (fear of open spaces, public settings) also suffer from APD.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of those mental illnesses that leads to a pervasive pattern of instability and failed interpersonal relationships. People with mental illness like BPD may exhibit a wide array of strange behaviors, from self-mutilation, to preoccupation with sex, binge eating, drinking, substance abuse, reckless driving, inappropriate explosive anger, an unstable self image and patterns of anxiety or moodiness that last a few hours at a time.

BPD sufferers are thought to be on the borderline between psychosis and neurosis, and behavior therapy is traditionally used, with other cases requiring medical intervention. Recent research suggests that 56% of the people diagnosed with BPD can show big improvement within one year of mental health treatment.

Schizoid Personality Disorder is fairly rare and occurs in 1% of the population, but results in coldness towards others, lack of emotion, indifference to social norms, odd behavior, indifference to praise or criticism and preoccupation with fantasy. The Schizoid has no sexual drive; few close relationships and may feel superior to others or extremely independent.

Some schizoids may give an outward appearance of giving and receiving, but may in fact give or receive very little because they are merely "playing a part." Schizoids are an interesting breed of people with mental illness because they seldom care to resolve it and feel quite comfortable in their own dueling loneliness and superiority. However, long term mental health treatment can be done through therapy, which involves adopting a whole new way of thinking.

The road to recovery starts with admitting that you may have a problem. Once diagnosed, there are a variety of books you can read, medications you can take or mental health association professionals with whom you can discuss your illness. You may not be able to "wish away" mental illnesses, but you can certainly understand more about them, treat the symptoms and work through your innermost fears and unhappiness.

Don't Let Your Marriage Fall Apart - Learn to Identify the Signs of Depression

Did your marriage start out good but now you feel that your marriage is falling apart? Are you looking for a way to restore your marriage to the way that it was, and not just brood about your situation? If the answer to these questions is yes then you should consider the possibility that your spouse is suffering from depression and look for help in that area.

Depression a major reason for marriages to fall apart. The reason for this is simple; a depressed person doesn't see any good in the world, can't appreciate being loved, and doesn't show any signs of appreciation. Not exactly the skills one needs to build a happy marriage.

In this article I will present 3 signs of depression. If you notice them in your spouse then you should immediately look for ways to help them overcome this debilitating disorder and be able to once again  have a happy and fulfilling married life.

1. Fatigue, always tired. There are two reasons why depression  causes its sufferers to be tired. Firstly, it is a defense system so they won't have to face the world that is so black to them. When you sleep (if you can) you don't see anything.  Secondly, the lack of interest in everything in their life actually causes physically tiredness.

2. Trouble concentrating and forgetfulness. One of the most common signs of depression is the inability to concentrate on even simple tasks. Following simple directions becomes hard, to read a book and follow the plot becomes difficult, and sometimes it is hard to concentrate even on simple household chores. One of the reasons for this is that their lack of interest causes them to be inattentive.

The byproduct of this is that they become even more depressed because they feel so incompetent.

3. Change in sleeping and eating patterns. This symptom is not limited, as a lot of people think, to sleeping more and eating less. Not everyone who suffers from depression sleeps all day and doesn't eat. In some people, the depression causes  a completely opposite symptom; they eat much more and have problems sleeping.

The problem of sleeping also manifests itself differently in different people; sometimes they can't fall asleep and sometimes they wake up during the night or very early in the morning.

If your marriage started of good but now you feel that your marriage is falling apart and you notice some of these signs in your spouse for more than a week or two then you should get outside help as quickly as possible. Depression is a serious and dangerous disorder that won't just go away. Take care of it as quickly as possibly and begin to live the marriage that you used to have.

Midlife Crisis, Depressed and Anxious, Do Something About It

Often portrayed in only humorous terms in popular culture, male midlife crisis has very real physical causes. Beginning around age 30, testosterone gradually decreases, and can lead to depression, decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction. In addition, a corresponding increase in SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) impairs the body's ability to use testosterone.

As well, as men enter midlife, they sleep more lightly, spending less time in a state of deep sleep. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue and irritability because the body is unable to make enough of the hormones required for energy and optimal functioning.

Doing Something About Male Midlife Crisis

There are several steps you can take to improve your overall feeling of well-being and reduce the likelihood of related worries such as sexual dysfunction.

Managing stress will help you sleep easier, as well as reduce symptoms like irritability and fatigue. A daily B-complex vitamin can reduce stress, and minerals like selenium and chromium can boost energy.

Getting plenty of exercise not only has the obvious physical benefits, but it also encourages the quality deep sleep that is important for men undergoing the physical changes of midlife. You should also avoid stimulants like coffee several hours before bed.

Testosterone replacement therapy may also be an appropriate solution that helps mitigate the effects of male midlife.

How Is Testosterone Involved with Male Midlife Crisis?

A consistent finding in the scientific literature is that testosterone increase even by replacement therapy produces an increased feeling of well-being. Published studies show that low levels of free testosterone correlates with symptoms of depression and other psychological disorders.

According to Jonathan Wright, M.D., co-author of Maximize Your Vitality & Potency, the following effects have been reported in response to low free testosterone levels:

• Loss of ability to concentrate
• Moodiness and emotionality
• Touchiness and irritability
• Great timidity
• Feeling weak
• Inner unrest
• Memory failure
• Reduced intellectual agility
• Passive attitudes
• General tiredness
• Reduced interest in surroundings

Two major issues of a man in midlife crisis - depression and anxiety - are directly related to his current levels of bio-available free testosterone. Proper testosterone replacement therapy can deal effectively with much at the heart of midlife male depression by boosting the levels of bio-available testosterone in the body.

Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy Right for Me?

The first step toward testosterone replacement therapy is a physical exam and a series of blood tests, including a PSA (protein-specific antigen) test, are ordered to measure testosterone levels. If testosterone levels are low, your physician can discuss the various treatment options. Many insurance companies cover the costs of andropause treatment, and male menopause treatment can often be purchased with a tax advantaged, flexible savings account.

Male hormone replacement therapy and testosterone replacement are effective, low testosterone treatment options for men with andropause. If you have any symptoms associated with andropause, such as low energy, irritability, hot flashes, abdominal weight gain, loss of muscle strength, loss of sex drive and the inability to maintain an erection, talk to your doctor. The sooner you speak with a physician and get checked for low testosterone levels, the sooner you can begin feeling like yourself again.

What to look for in a Male Hormone Replacement Therapy Provider:

1. Look for a male hormone replacement therapy program that is tailored to your specific and individualized needs.
2. Ensure your hormone program is under the supervision of a physician that is trained in hormone deficiencies in men.
3. Monitoring of your hormone levels. The original test for andropause should only be the first in a series of tests. You will want to have your blood tested periodically to ensure the current program is optimized for your individual needs.
4. Experience. Be sure the entity with whom you work has a solid track record. If they are trying to sell you hormones -- be careful. If they are telling you what they do and how it relates to you needs in an informational frame work -- be hopeful and encouraged.

Vivien Leigh - An Actress Whose Life Was Affected by Bipolar Disorder

Vivien Leigh was born Vivien Mary Hartley in Darjeeling, India. At a very early age, she showed an aptitude for acting but she could only indulge into it at the age of 18 when she enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

At the age of 19, she married Leigh Holman, who was a barrister and it was his name that she used to make up her stage name. A year after the marriage, Vivien was still studying and she had a daughter named Suzanne.

Then in mid-1930s, Vivien happen to meet Laurence Olivier and thus began one of the most passionate affairs of that time. Olivier was married during this period to Jill Osmond but it did not stop Vivien and Olivier from publicizing their affair.

During this period, both lovers acted frequently together on stage and screen and by this time they had left their spouses to be together. Then Olivier signed up for Wuthering Heights and Leigh requested to be cast as Cathy in the film. However, her demand was rejected because she was not well-known in America.

Leigh ended up getting her most famous role -- Scarlett O'Hara -- in the film Gone With The Wind and the film was released the same year as Wuthering Heights. Leigh's movie was a box office success and this little unknown actress ended up winning the Best Actress Award in 1939.

In 1940, Olivier and Leigh got married finally. Then World War II happened and Vivien worked mostly on plays staged in and around London. During this period she became an insomniac and her stepson Tarquin Olivier had to stay up the nights with her.

In 1994, during the shooting of Caesar and Cleopatra, Vivien realized that she was pregnant but unfortunately she miscarried after having a fall on the set of the film. Her stepson attributes her manic depression to the loss of the baby. In 1945, Leigh was also diagnosed with tuberculosis, which did not help the situation.

During this period, manic depression was not understood and as result Leigh received shock therapy for her disorder. Her mental condition coupled with physical illness started playing havoc in her personal life and this affected her marriage; leading to a divorce in 1960. In addition, she has also started drinking heavily.

Although Leigh had bipolar disorder and tuberculosis, she continued acting and won her second Oscar for her role in the film A Streetcar Named Desire.

In 1967, Leigh died due to tuberculosis.

Affordable Home Insurance - Don't Be Swallowed in the Depression

It has become increasingly obvious that people have gotten out their microscopes. Their intention being to look for ways to reduce what they spend because of the economic situation today. Unfortunately, some have looked at their home insurance coverage as possible means of savings. This could be true to an extent as far as it does not mean scrapping your coverage of even lowering your coverage. You run the risk of losing everything due to that fact that you are under covered. What do we do to get a more affordable home insurance coverage.

I have always said that energies should be channeled towards looking for ways to lower rates and not coverages.

Getting lower rates on your home insurance coverage means you would have to take some steps.

Your main focus is looking for ways to make your home more secure since anything that makes your home more secure also makes it less likely that you would make a claim and therefore your insurer is more likely to give you discounts.

How can you make your home more secure?

Increase the security gadgets in your home. In fact, you can ask your insurer to make recommendations. On the doors leading out from your home, install dead bolt locks. If you can, could add burglary proof irons on your windows. Install sprinklers and fire detectors in your home to better manage fire hazards. Get your neighbors to start a neighborhood watch.

These are just a few points. If you look more closely, you would find ways to get discounts. Please never be under covered it could be the worst mistake if your life.

With new regulations, to further save, visit quotes sites and try to customize the coverage that covers you fully at the most affordable rate.

Take some time to visit quotes comparison sites and from there begin to compare packages. You can get great savings if you can get a custom package for your need.

Get an affordable home insurance coverage and keep your home fully covered at and better rates.

Sadness, Depression After Weight Loss Surgery - The Serotonin Connection

It is my nature to be an annoying Pollyanna personality. I am a "look at the bright side, find the silver lining, zippity-do-da" kinda gal. But you know, 2010 is bringing me down with round-the-clock news of the global economic crisis, wars, poverty, natural and industrial disasters. Feelings of sadness or depression overwhelm me at times and I find myself in search of my old comfort food friends: pasta, crackers, sweets.

What I have learned is that there is a very real biological reason I crave those highly processed carbohydrates: My body wants to use them to create the feel-good hormone, serotonin, so that I will not feel overwhelmed with feelings of depression or sadness. In understanding this I can forgive my "weakness" and seek other means by which my body can do a biological balancing act to bring harmony to mood and mind. Today I share that knowledge with you in hopes that you too will understand these feelings and have a means to help your body help you.

It is common for new post-surgery bariatric patients to feel confusion over their emotional state. "I expected I would be happier," they tell me, "but I feel consumed by an overall sadness. Just sadness. What's wrong with me?" they ask. I remember feeling the same way in the early weeks and months out of surgery. And nobody had the answer back then, it was just a bump in the journey that we all needed to work past. Patients of all bariatric surgeries including gastric bypass, gastric lap-band, and gastric sleeve report similar experiences.

Ten years and a great deal of study and observation later I have a theory (my theory alone, and I'm not a medical professional) that there is a physiological reason for this post-surgery sadness. Prior to obesity surgery many of us consumed copious amounts of processed carbohydrates including sugar, refined flour, starches and grains. In the body carbohydrates meet up with the amino acid tryptophan and make serotonin, the "feel-good" hormone that stimulates the brain as a comforting mood enhancer. Macaroni & cheese is an American favorite comfort food, and for good reason. It combines enough tryptophan with enough high-carb pasta to produce sufficient serotonin, which relieves symptoms of depression and boosts feelings of contentment.

Enter weight loss surgery and the protein first, limited fat,and low carbohydrate diet. Suddenly the biological process of serotonin conversion is out of order. We no longer have the means to self-medicate our mood with foods that boost serotonin levels, yet we continue to have the cravings because our body is crying for help. It does not know any other way to manage mood. It just makes sense that this extreme dietary change results in an altered mood and in some cases, a state of biological panic or emotional depression

Dr. Judith Wurtman, author of The Serotonin PowerDiet, and former MIT scientist says, "If you're on a weight loss diet that emphasizes boosting protein and cutting down extremely on carbohydrates, that might explain your craving for high-carb food. When carb cravers eat the high-carb food, they feel better in about 20 minutes." But after weight loss surgery we cannot eat enough high-carbohydrate food to boost mood and doing so works against the surgical tool. Most researchers agree that an imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that leads to depression.

A high protein diet is rich in amino acids including tryptophans. But when we eat a high protein meal there are so many amino acids competing for brain time that there is little opportunity for the tryptophan to enter the brain to trigger the serotonin conversion. On the other hand, a carbohydrate-rich meal triggers the release of insulin, which causes tryptophan in the bloodstream to rise and ultimately boost serotonin levels. Knowing this, it is easy to understand our carbohydrate cravings when we, by way of surgery, eliminate carbs from our diet.

This tells me that we are often sad or depressed because our body, following surgery, is in a state of biological confusion. Rather than suffering feelings of failure or inadequacy we are better served by knowing our body is in distress and seeking treatment options to facilitate healing and biological balance.

How Nutritional Supplements Can Help Reduce Stress

I always wondered how an herbal supplement could reduce stress. It sounded absurd, impossible, and bordering on a false claim. I always believed that stress was directly linked to what happens to us. Period. If good things happen, no stress; if bad things happen, we get stressed. Simple, neat, and easy to grasp.

Then I learned how life's events influence our thoughts, emotions, and behavior. A model was shown to me that had four letters: A, B, C & D. Each letter represented a distinct stage of progression; from what happens, to our behavior that stems from those events. Here's the model...

A - is an event. Something happens that affects us;
B - is how we perceive and process that event;
C - is the emotions produced from how we perceive and process the event;
D - is our behavior which is based on those emotions.

That's all good, but how do nutritional supplements help reduce stress? Let me give you a little background before I answer this.

It is a scientific fact that poor nutrition leads to diminished brain function and proper nutrition leads to improved brain function. Diminished brain function can also be a contributing factor of depression and other undesirable traits like negativity and pessimism. Sure, some depression, negativity, and pessimism stems from learned traits or personality issues, but studies have shown that clinical depression (which often manifest in negativity and pessimism), can be linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain. This imbalance is nearly always a lack, or deficiency of something. Logic dictates that it would help to balance the imbalance; to supply (ie, supplement) something to eliminate the lack and/or deficiency and to give yourself the very best nutritional advantage for optimum brain function.

Sadly, a lot of people turn to prescription drugs to solve these problems. While results vary widely with prescription drugs, one constant is ever present... unwanted side effects. Have you ever listened to the list of possible side effects for prescription drugs on the T.V. commercials, or read them in their literature? It's simply mind boggling! But desperate people will try anything in the hopes that something will help. There's an old saying, "A drowning person will grasp razor blades." But there's a better way to address diminished brain function than taking chemicals that will likely cause unwanted, and even debilitating side effects.

With the right nutritional supplements, you will have improved brain function. With improved brain function comes the ability to rightly perceive life's events without catastrophizing them or bringing shades of paranoia, negativity, and pessimism to bear on every situation. Let me share one of my favorite quotes... Shakespeare said, "For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." (Hamlet - Act 2, Scene 2) I'm not going to say that there are never bad things that happen in life. My point is that merely by thinking (perceiving & processing), we can make a good event bad or make a bad event worse. Those with diminished brain function tend to manufacture stress by their worldview and outlook on life, while those with improved brain function tend to view things in the best possible light and make the best of a bad situation.

Can the right nutritional supplements make your life stress free? No, nothing can. But they can help reduce stress in your life by helping improve brain function and all that goes with it. We can't help what happens in life... life happens! Hence, (A). But with a better (B), we get a better (C). And with a better (C) we get a better (D). And that, my friends, is how nutritional supplements help reduce stress in our lives!

The best nutritional supplements that I have found to improve brain function is Sta-Natural. Results are the bottom line for me. Sta-Young is the product that helps improve brain function. It has superior antioxidant potency and bioavailability. It is 500 times more powerful than vitamin E and provides the best bioavailability to all vital organs. Sta-Young also crosses the blood-brain barrier, distinguishing itself from other antioxidants. Do yourself a favor, start taking nutritional supplements, improving your brain function, and having a better life right away!

Say Good-Bye to the Symptoms of Depression - Why a Natural Treatment is Right for You!

You have been sad for the past weeks, months, and possibly years. You don't know if what you are suffering is simply a bout of the blues or depression? Thousands of questions grip your mind and you feel like you have no place to turn (You Do!) Unfortunately, if you are suffering from depression, almost 10% of the population (18+ and older) is also dealing with the same disease. You are not alone and millions have cured the 'invisible disease' that haunts almost every aspect of one's life.

The first step is discovering if you suffer from depression? Take a look at the following depression test and keep track of how many symptoms or signs you relate with.

Symptoms of Depression:

Prolonged Sadness;

Feeling hopeless or worthless;

Difficulty in making decisions;

Concentration difficulties;

Loss of enjoyment from things that were once pleasurable;

Excessive sleep or insomnia;

Aches and pains;

Stomach or digestive problems;

Change in appetite (weight gain or loss);

Sexual dysfunctions; or

Suicidal thoughts (thoughts of death)

Typically, the two main trademarks of depression are: 1. Loss of enjoyment from things that were once pleasurable and 2. Prolonged Sadness (Depressed mood) that makes you feel sad, helpless or hopeless, and you may have crying spells. In addition, for a professional to diagnose depression, most of the listed symptoms must also be present for at least two weeks.

Why a Natural Treatment Might be Right for You!

At Barton Publishing Inc., we are serious about common illnesses and natural, holistic (whole body) ways of curing them. In fact, our team of researchers has been busy for literally months reading, documenting, interviewing and researching everything under the sun about depression! We have discovered why prescription depression medications will only hide the symptoms and NOT cure them (as well as have harsh side-effects). We have discovered a simple four-part natural cure called The Joy Equation, we are confident will treat any type of depression. In fact, I am so confident; I put our 100% no-risk, money-back guarantee on our Joy Equation Report which explains how to naturally cure depression. And finally, we are confident our natural cure WILL treat your depression symptoms for good! So let me ask you,

Are You Ready For A Serious, Legitimate, Natural And Affordable Depression Cure That Really Works And That's Based On Sound Research And Real World Experience?

Just imagine yourself bounding out of bed in the morning ready and even eager to face the day and whatever challenges it might bring.

Just imagine being filled with passion and love and truly, once again being able to enjoy the company of your friends, your family and your spouse or partner.

Just imagine saying goodbye to the stress and the expense of those side-effect laden depression pills... and regaining your true personality and your true self.

Just imagine finally being happy... and having the tools and the knowledge you need to stay happy even in the face of the toughest challenges.

Just imagine finally finding joy. Take a minute and check out our Joy Equation Website because life is too short to be depressed! I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

The Joy Equation Website

Cat Depression - How to Detect, Treat and Prevent

People are not the only ones who get the blues. Cat depression is real and often the result of major changes in a cat's routine, such as the death of an owner or animal friend, loneliness or a change in their living situation. Every cat with depression will behave differently, but you will likely notice a change in her behavior. If she is usually enthusiastic when she's around you but suddenly stops paying attention to you, she could be depressed.

Some other signs of cat depression include:

* Decreased appetite
* Lack of grooming
* Lethargy or changes in personality
* Aggression
* Increased sleeping
* Hiding in an isolated place for extended periods of time.

Although all of these symptoms are major indicators of depression, they can also be signs of other illnesses. It's always important to consult with a veterinarian immediately in the presence of these symptoms to rule out any underlying health conditions.

What to Do

Of course every owner wants to help their cat when she's feeling under the weather so be sure to pay plenty of attention to her; try to play with her for at least 30 minutes a day to prevent loneliness. If feasible, adopting another cat is often beneficial in warding off depression. If your cat is not grooming herself as normal, brush and groom her yourself. This can give her a sense of companionship with you that can help the problem.

If you have to leave your cat home alone for extended periods of time, improve her environment by leaving blinds or curtains open. This way, she can have a view of what is going on outside and also some light. Leaving a radio or TV on during the day can also keep her from feeling lonely.

Sometimes cat depression doesn't go away, no matter how hard you try. That is when the veterinarian comes into the pictures. A vet can properly diagnose your cat with behavioral depression and prescribe antidepressants. He/she can also give you examples of behavioral modification techniques that may help the problem.

Can Cat Depression Be Prevented?

Cat depression cannot be prevented in all case as some cats are just more susceptible just like people. However, the best thing you can do to try to prevent it is to provide a routine, stress-free, loving environment for your feline. You should schedule regular veterinary exams for her to keep on top of her health.

Mindfulness Meditation in Western Society

Meditation has become extremely popular in western society in the recent years however; it has existed for thousands of years and has obviously passed the test of time in various other cultures. Meditation has in fact survived 4500 years of political upheaval and socioeconomic transition (Andreson, 2000). If meditation was not beneficial would it still be around and being practiced thousands of years later? Probably not.

The word meditation tends to cause confusion in many people due to it being unknown or regarded as somewhat metaphysical, new age, or associated with a special dogma or religion. Well as just discussed there is nothing new about meditation and I believe that the foundation for meditation in its purity is not confusing or complex. The very essence of meditation is simplicity, but as Ayaja states in his psychotherapy text, "simplicity is often the most complicated thing" (Ajaya, 1983, 126). I genuinely believe this statement to be accurate in especially western society's way of life.

Life consists of simple principles, however human beings tend to complicate them within their minds rather than living and being from the soul. I know for my life, I choose to keep meditation and living as simple as possible. I think Stephen Levine says it best when he discussed meditation in his book, A Gradual Awakening, "meditation is for many a foreign concept, somehow distant and foreboding, seemingly impossible to participate in. But another word for meditation is simply awareness. Meditation is awareness" (Levine, 1989, 1). Now, this explanation is indeed workable and practical to an individual wanting to become involved in meditation.

Within this paper, I will offer a simple explanation of the process of meditation, its psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits as well as a brief description of my personal experience.

There are several types of meditation, however Levine states that "differences in these techniques are basically due to the primary object which is concentrated on through the process" (Levine, 1989, 8). Thus, I will base this paper on mindfulness meditation (Vipassanna) which involves directly participating in each moment as it occurs with as much awareness and understanding as possible. In my opinion this is the simplest and most effective form of meditation and actually a very enlightened way to live your daily life. We live "now" right in this moment and that is what this type of meditation proposes. After all, as Goleman (1972a) states, "the goal of all meditation systems, whatever the ideological orientation or source...is to transform the waking state through the fruits of practice - to die to the life of the ego and be reborn to a new level of experience" (155).

As previously discussed, the focus of this paper will be mindfulness meditation rather than concentration meditation which is what usually comes to mind when the word meditation is mentioned. While concentration meditation focuses on the attention of a single object, mantra, or deity, mindfulness meditation includes a more dynamic inclusive field of observation. It is inclusive of the depth that surrounds us rather than shutting the world out, which is more practical for the average participant in western society (Tacon, 2003 ). It was also suggested by Kabat-Zinn (1994) that mindfulness may be beneficial to many people in western society who might be unwilling to adopt Buddhist traditions or vocabulary. Thus, mindfulness meditation is considerably more appropriate for our society than discussing the full range of meditation techniques from eastern traditions, due to its simplicity, practicality and perceived detachment from eastern philosophies and religions.

Rather than try to choose one definition to describe what mindfulness meditation is, I will present a variety of views from those familiar with this specific practice in order to get the point across more succinctly. First of all, mindfulness meditation is more specifically called "insight meditation" in Buddhist traditions, or vipassanna which is sanskrit and means "to see clearly." Mindfulness meditation is a large part of Buddhism as well as Zen practice; however it can be successfully practiced detached from these traditions. As previously mentioned it is not necessary to be a practicing Buddhist to enjoy the fruits of mindfulness meditation (Levey & Levey, 1999). At this time I will present varied definitions or descriptions of what mindfulness meditation actually is.

Tacon (2003) describes mindfulness meditation as a "form of meditation that involves stimuli from the field of consciousness rather than the exclusion of stimuli, as in concentration meditation" (67).

Kabat-Zinn (1994) states that mindfulness meditation is "paying attention in a particular way; on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally." (108).

Levey and Levey (1999) describe mindfulness meditation in the following way: "mindfulness liberates us from memories of past and fantasies of future by bringing reality of the present moment clearly into focus" (89). They also state that "mindfulness makes us more aware of life's everyday miracles" (89).

Dunn, Hartigan, and Mikulas (1999) state that "mindfulness practice involves open receptivity and awareness to all stimuli, while evaluation, analysis or classification of those stimuli is suppressed" (p.148).

Ruth Baer states "mindfulness is the nonjudgmental observation of the ongoing streams of internal and external stimuli as they arise" (2003, p. 125).

Although each of these passages utilize different terminology to articulate what mindfulness meditation is; the overall consensus comes down to "being present in life." In my personal opinion, this may well be the secret that all human beings have been searching for outside of themselves. Being present in the moment is very simple, yet profound. Most people will likely say, "There has got to be more to living than this." Is there?
Mindfulness meditation focuses on all areas of our being. Levey and Levey (1999) present a variety of these areas in their book, Simple Meditation and Relaxation. These elements of the human being include being mindful or aware of your sense without judgement, being aware of your emotions with acceptance, maintaining awareness of your thinking and allowing thoughts to flow by, just noticing. Another two vital areas include being aware of your breathing as well as what is going on with your body (pp. 95-97). What it comes down to is being aware of what is going on for you in each moment. To further articulate this I will provide various excerpts from a mindfulness meditation by Stephen Levine (1989).

o "Find a comfortable place to sit, with back straight but not rigid..."

o "Keep your attention at one precise point and note the sensation that accompanies each breath..."

o "Sounds arise. Thought arise. Other sensations arise. All background, arising and passing away..."

o "Sensations arise in the body, Thoughts arise in the mind. They come and go like bubbles..."

o "Don't get lost. If the mind pulls away, gently, with a soft non-judging, non-clinging awareness, return to the breath..."

o "Moment to moment awareness of whatever arises, whatever exists" (pp. 32-36).

My hope is that these excerpts further clarify mindfulness meditation to the reader. Levine is a master when it comes to simplicity in one's life as well as having the capacity to make meditation practical and efficient. Next, I would like to discuss a variety of interventions using mindfulness followed by research demonstrating the psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits. Mindfulness meditation is truly a holistic application and this will be shown through the research findings discussed in this article.

Interventions

As previously discussed meditation has been around for thousands of years, however has only recently been integrated into psychotherapy in western society. The American Psychological Association, around 1977, suggested that "meditation could facilitate the therapeutic process" (Taskforce on Meditation, 1977, p. 3). Unfortunately, about 20 years later it still hasn't actually become mainstream. However, we must be fortunate that some progress is being made. At this time, I would like to discuss four current interventions that are using mindfulness meditation as part of the therapeutic process.

The first intervention is the integration of mindfulness meditation in the general psychotherapy process. La Torre (2001) discussed it as an effective component of psychotherapy and stated that as meditation brings awareness to feelings and discomforts in the therapeutic process, psychotherapy can provide discussion and exploration of these insights. She also expresses that the ability to practice meditation in and out of the therapeutic session fosters independence and self mastery on the client's part. La Torre (2001) concludes by stating, "That in most cases the incorporation of meditation into the therapeutic process has enriched therapy and given clients a greater sense of control and awareness" (p. 104).

In a separate case study by Boorstein (1983), he describes his integration of mindfulness meditation and bibliotherapy and its effectiveness with a depressed, agitated, and paranoid client. Boorstein integrated various readings with a transpersonal theme as well as mindfulness meditation in and out of session. Boorstein claims that the outcome was significant and included increased self-esteem, psychological and spiritual growth and relief of presenting symptoms. Boorstein conducted follow ups and stated that the positive outcomes were maintained and the client continued to focus on personal and spiritual growth in his life.

A second popular intervention and the most frequently cited method of mindfulness meditation intervention is the program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program was developed specifically for chronic pain and stress related disorders. It is an 8-10 week course for groups which utilizes a unique combination of discussions related to stress, coping, as well as homework assignments and an intense instruction and practice of mindfulness meditation. The ability for clients to practice inside and outside of session in real life situations is again a benefit of this modality (Baer, 2003).
Another intervention which is strongly associated with MBSR is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This intervention incorporates aspects of cognitive therapy that facilitate a detached or decentered view of ones thoughts including statements such as "Thoughts are not facts" and "I am not my thoughts" (Baer, 2003, p. 127). MBCT is designed to teach skills for previously depressed individuals to observe their thoughts and feelings non-judgmentally and to see them as simply mental events that come and go rather than as reality or aspects of themselves (Baer, 2003).
The final intervention that I will discuss that incorporates mindfulness meditation is a therapy termed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This specific therapy was designed to treat borderline personality disorder however it is currently being applied to a variety of different populations. DBT integrates mindfulness meditation training with cognitive behavioral skills in order to facilitate acceptance and change at the same time. Specific aspects of this intervention include emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance skills (Baer, 2003). In my personal career I have had direct experience with this an addiction facility and found it to be quite effective. Residential clients embraced the mindfulness components in all aspects of their lives and appeared to truly benefit from practicing acceptance and non-judgment as part of their recovery. I genuinely hope that more interventions will become available and mindfulness meditation will eventually get the respect it deserves in the field of psychotherapy and life in general.
Mindfulness meditation is a holistic tool for growth and self awareness. It benefits the mind, body, and soul as a whole, however for this papers purpose I will separate the components into the benefits related to psychological, philosophical, and spiritual elements of the human being. These will be based on the literature pertaining to mindfulness meditation specifically and what has been discussed in a variety of research studies.

Physiological Benefits

The literature discusses an immense amount of physiological benefits derived from mindfulness meditation. To list and discuss all of them is beyond the scope of this paper; however I will discuss some of the main physical benefits shown throughout the empirical literature. First, the physiological changes that have been noticed when practicing meditation such as decreased heart rate, breathing and the lowering of blood pressure has been termed the "relaxation response" by Benson (1975). These changes can of course be extremely beneficial to those individuals needing to escape the daily stress and chaos of society. However, the physiological benefits of mindfulness meditation transcend the momentary changes during the act of meditation. In Perez-De-Albeniz's (2000) 75 study Meta analysis he discussed a vast array of benefits that were found in his perusal of the available research. These included increase cardiac output, muscle relaxation, increased serotonin and melatonin levels, and significant improvement in chronic pain. In addition mindfulness meditation was found to be beneficial for psoriases, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and hypertension. This brief summary obviously demonstrates that mindfulness meditation can be effective for the body component of a human being. Lets explore the other two elements that make up human beings.

Psychological

Numerous psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation are mentioned throughout the empirical literature. Again, this is not an exhaustive review of the literature, but a brief articulation of outcomes reported regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation. La Toree (2003) explains the benefits of mindfulness meditation in terms of its emotional benefits concerning self growth. In her article she explains that overwhelming feelings are better able to be accepted as an individual is able to own these feelings and experience them with a greater sense of safety.

In Perez de Albeniz's Meta Analysis of the literature the following were demonstrated throughout the empirical studies that were reviewed:

o Increased happiness

o Increased joy

o Increased positive thoughts

o Increase problem solving skills

o Enhanced acceptance

o Enhanced compassion

o Enhanced tolerance

o Increased relaxation

o Increased resilience

o Better control of feelings and personal responsibility

o Improvement in psychological well being

o Decreased anxiety

o Decreased substance abuse

Perez de Albeniz also discussed mindfulness meditation's ability to help patients understand that there are no quick solutions in life which leads to development of patience in their personal growth journey. In addition, the promotion of a non-judgmental attitude as well as the ability to come to terms with what is rather than what could have been.

Finally I think it is important to mention a study by Shapiro, Schwartz, and Bonner (1998) in which MBSR was offered to medical and pre medical students. The application involved a 7-week intervention with a wait list control. The outcome of this study included reduced self-reports of overall psychological distress, including depression, reduced self-reports of state and trait anxiety and increased scores of empathy levels. Again, in the psychological domain it is obvious that mindfulness meditation has enormous benefits.

Spiritual

Spiritual benefits are also demonstrated in the practice and application of mindfulness meditation. In the Shapiro et al study (1998) it was also found that there were increased scores on the measures of spiritual experiences, which basically meant that following the mindfulness introduction, participants had a greater conviction of the existence of a higher power as well as an increase in the internalization of a personal intimate relationship to a higher power. In Perez de Albeniz (2000) it was noted that mindfulness meditation helps a patient or person to trust their inner nature and wisdom. Finally, Walsh (1983) expresses in his article that meditation is "available as a tool for those who wish to plumb the depths of their own being and explore the nature of mind, identity, and consciousness. It's a tool that can be used from the beginning to the end of the spiritual quest" (45). Obviously, there are many other spiritual benefits of meditation, including the obvious, Nirvana; however I merely supplied the reader with a summary. Perhaps, it may motivate some to enter this journey of awareness and explore the many additional gems along the path.

Personal Experience

Henry Miller said "the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be awake, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." This is what mindfulness meditation has brought to my life. By all means, do not think that I sit in meditation continuously and detach from the world. Mindfulness allows me to feel every moment of life within my entire being. It allows me to live life rather than just existing and the application of this practice throughout the past five years of my life has transformed who I am. I have tapped into my genuine being and united with the energy of the universe. Simply by cultivating awareness of the moment through mindfulness I have been able to transcend my ego and travel each day on the path of self-actualization. I have experienced the pure essence of mindfulness meditation. Each moment of my life allows continuous practice and application of this essential skill that genuinely gives life. Each human being on this earth has the innate ability to tap into the perfection and precision of mindfulness meditation. Go and experience the bliss that it offers.

Finally, throughout this paper I have discussed what mindfulness meditation is, provided a variety of description by the experts in this practice, and given the reader examples of the process of mindfulness meditation based on writings by Stephen Levine. It was concluded, that simply mindfulness meditation is being aware of life, which obviously can be practiced in any setting. Mindfulness mediation is extremely practical in the west and has been utilized in a variety of therapeutic interventions with much success. Additionally, it has been shown to have physiological, psychological, and spiritual benefits by the research thus far. In short, mindfulness mediation is a great tool for the whole person to utilize toward personal and spiritual growth. Mindfulness is genuinely living life in this very moment. Go truly live in the now and experience the true essence of life without the deluded impediments caused the thinking mind.

References

Ajaya, S. (1983). Psychotherapy East and West, Honesdale, Pa:The Himalayan International Institute.

Andreson, J. (2000). Meditation meets behavioral medicine. Journal of Conciousness Studies, 7(11-12), 17-73.

Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: a conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143.

Benson, R. (2003). The Relaxation Response, New York, NY: Morrow.

Dunn, B. R., Hartigan, J. A., & Mikulas, W. L.. (1999). Concentration and Mindfulness Meditations: Unique form of consciousness?. Applied psychophysiology and BioFeedback, 24(3), 147-165.

Goleman, D. (1972a). The Buddha on meditation and states of consciousness, Part I: A typology of meditation techniques. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 4(1), 1-44.

Kabat-Zinn, K. (1994).Wherever you go there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion

La Torre, M. A (2000). A holistic view of psychotherapy: Connecting mind, body, and spirit.. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36(2), 67-68.
Levey, J & Levey, M. (1999). Simple meditation and Releaxation . Berkeley, CA: Conari Press.

Levine, S. (1989). A Gradual Awakening. New York, NY: Anchor Books.

Perez-De-Albeniz, A. (2000). Meditation, concepts, effects and uses in therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 5(1), 49-58.

Tacon, T. M. (2003). Meditation as a complementary therapy in cancer. Family and Community Health, 26(1), 64-73.

Taskforce on Meditation. (1977). Position statement on meditation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 720.

Depression - Seeing The Signs In Teenagers

Normal teenager behavior is a mystery in itself but when depression is part of it you need to be able to react. This article will help you see the signs early.

Children now grow much bigger earlier in life, which means that adult-like bodies and physical capacities occur much sooner than before. This increased interest in and capacity for sexuality at a much younger age unfortunately has not been accompanied by acceleration in emotional or social development.

The traditional roles and expectations for children and adults are different now however still undefined, resulting in confusion for both adolescents and their parents. The frustrated attempts at achieving autonomy earlier in life often leads to hopelessness and despair. Both of those emotions are perfect breeding ground for depression.

Here are the symptoms that you might observe:

1. Changes in appetite or weight

Eating patterns of adolescents are difficult to assess given the occurrence of eating disorders and obsessive dieting. Observe where your teenager is skipping meals or shows significant changes in body weight over a short period of time.

2. Feelings of sadness

Just like adults, most teenagers feel sad some of the time. The difference here is that the feeling lasts most of the day and is experienced nearly every day. They might show tearfulness without apparent reasons or being constantly irritable.

3. Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless

Many teenagers suffer low self-esteem, however this is more extreme. You might observe a total lack of motivation in things previously enjoyed and thought patterns of meaninglessness.

4. Changes in sleeping pattern, fatigue, loss of energy

They might stay up all night not being able to go to sleep and / or sleep during the day so they don't have to face the world. Sitting around at home and refusing to go out are some other signs.

5. Boredom, hating school

Changes in school performance, refusing to go to school, failing exams and general lack of enjoyment can be observed. Generally they lose interest in activities they once enjoyed.

6. Thoughts of suicide, death or self-harm

Either teenagers listen to depressive music, talk openly about death or idolize cult figures who have taken their lives. If your teenager is practicing or at risk of self-harm, actions need to be taken immediately.

7. Inability to concentrate, make decisions or remember things

In addition to the effects of changes in sleeping patterns and changes in school performance you might notice their concentration span decreasing.

8. Loss of interest in the opposite sex, loss of interest in meeting with friends

Decreasing social interaction is another quite obvious change in an adolescent's life style.

In addition to everything mentioned above depression in teenagers often comes with abuse of substances like drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

If you notice more than 3 of the signs mentioned above you might want to get your teenager assessed by your general practitioner, psychologist or psychiatrist.

Recovering From Addiction: Warning Signs of Relapse

Experts in the fields of addiction and alcoholism have estimated that as many as 90% of all people who become addicted to a substance and then abstain will subsequently relapse at least one time in their life. Furthermore, a large percentage of those people will fall victim to multiple relapses - each usually with more disastrous results than the last. Consequently, relapse prevention is a serious lifelong concern for any person who is in recovery from substance abuse or alcoholism. This means that recognizing and understanding the warning signs of relapse is critical for people who are unwilling to risk their sobriety - and possibly their lives - just to use one more time.

One common myth that only serves to perpetuate relapses is that once a person has completed an addiction program such as residential inpatient treatment or intensive outpatient treatment, they have effectively been "cured" of their addiction or alcoholism. However, this is simply not the case. Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) sets in shortly after detox and can cause a wide range of symptoms for up to two years. These symptoms include depression, inability to think clearly or organize thoughts, inability to solve simple problems, inability to deal with stress, insomnia and severe cravings for drugs or alcohol. PAWS symptoms cause many in recovery to self-medicate as a form of relief.

When a person begins having difficulty coping with PAWS symptoms they often exhibit a series of behaviors that can serve as clear warning signs that a relapse is imminent without some type of intervention. Recognition of these behaviors is absolutely vital in order to properly address them:

* Withdrawal: People who are in danger of relapsing often withdraw socially - especially from other people in recovery or from family members. Self-isolation can be a problem that grows rapidly, but the recovering person might become defensive or simply deny any problem if confronted about this behavior.

* Loss of Routine: While on a downward spiral toward eventual relapse, many recovering addicts or alcoholics lose their daily routine entirely. They might sleep or eat at odd hours, find excessive reasons to shirk responsibilities or call out of work repeatedly, or otherwise change the normal patterns that are essential to maintaining recovery.

* Emotional and Intellectual Paralysis: Being unable to formulate or follow through with plans, thoughts, or feelings is a classic indicator of a possible relapse.

* Over or Under-Reaction to Stress: As a person's recovery plan slowly degrades, their reactions to normal stress might seem extreme and disproportionate, or they might not react at all to severe stress.

* Depression: On the way to relapse people often experience a period of depression, with all of the classic signs including an inordinate amount of time spent sleeping, becoming socially withdrawn, suicidal ideations, lack of hygiene and other not-so-obvious symptoms.

* Compulsivity: Addiction is a disease of compulsion, and just prior to a relapse this may manifest itself by unhealthy obsessions with food, sex, cigarettes or tobacco, or any other fixation.

If ignored or unnoticed these warning signs will almost always lead to relapse. And because a person suffering from addiction might have difficulty addressing these signs, it's vital that the people they are close to are aware of what the signs are and how to address them when they appear. If this sounds like you, then please call us right now by using the links below. Addiction is considerably worsened by successive relapses, so the life of someone you care about may very well depend on preventing that next (or first) relapse.

Feeling Depressed? How to Fight the Gloom

The blues get the best of us, but do you allow it to overtake you? Sometimes things seem to go wrong repeatedly and then you start feeling depressed. If you leave things as they are depression can easily conquer your confidence and allow negative thoughts to run your life.

Give thanks.

Thank you are two very powerful words. Send thank you notes or say thank you to people who have made a difference in your life. Write down ten things that you are glad are in your life.

Change your focus.

Perhaps you are worried about your financial situation, a conflict with others, your lack of true friends or something else. Worrying about those does not help. If you focus on other things you might find solutions or something that can alleviate those situations.

Change your environment.

This can mean going for a walk, taking a drive or leaving where you are. You can also physically change your environment. If you are feeling stressed or depressed you might be surprised at how much change can help. Rearrange the lights, clean off your desk, remove unpleasant decorations. Add things that make you happy.

Get with others.

If you are feeling alone, getting with others can be a boost. If your friends are unavailable go to a place where people are naturally more causal. Attend church. Visit an entertainment center that has bowling, pool and other activities. Go to a park where people often are, you might strike up conversations with others, or just being in the company of others may make you feel lighter.

Exercise.

When you exercise you release endorphins that elevate your mood. It also helps you work out some of unused "fight or flight" energy that stress builds inside you. You get moving which circulates the blood reducing your mood of feeling depressed. You may even meet others to build up new friendships.

Add nature.

Play with your pets if you have them. Ask to walk a friend's dogs. Go to a natural park. Visit a park with a pond and feed the ducks. Animals are not worried about bills, fights or feeling depressed. Even if they fight they are over it quickly. Nature has a way of healing.

What makes you laugh?

Watch a movie that you makes you laugh. Go online and watch a comedy show that gives you the giggles. Call your friend with the great sense of humor. Add laughter and your depression and gloom may fade. Laughter will bring a big boost to your day.

Ask yourself what do you need to fight the depression.

You often have the answer inside your heart if you reflect on it. It may be one of the methods here. Maybe it will be something else. You can pick and choose, use one or several. The thing is to make your mood a little lighter. Then repeat, do something else to elevate your mood a bit more. Each thing you try can help you until you no longer feel depressed and instead feel happy.

Hyperforin - How it Can Help Fight Depression

IDepression can be a very debilitating condition and, for many, taking prescription drugs may not be desirable for a variety of reasons. Most, if not all, prescription drugs on the market have many negative side effects including a reduced sex drive, dizziness, nausea, headaches, weight gain and more...there is also a risk that the drugs will adversely affect the body and make depression even worse. In addition, these drugs can get very expensive depending on your insurance coverage. Because of all of these factors, many have turned to the possibility of natural supplements to help manage their depression symptoms.

Of all the natural supplements for depression on the market, St. John's Wort is probably the most popular and well-known, but not all St. John's Wort supplements are created equal. Studies indicate fairly conclusively that the main active ingredient in the herbaceous St. John's Wort is the natural chemical hyperforin. In a popular study where all factors were equal except the hyperforin content in each test sample, patients who received St. John's Wort extract with 5% hyperforin showed improvement in their depression symptoms while those receiving an extract with only .5% hyperforin did not see improvement.
 
If you're looking for a St. John's Wort supplement to help treat depression symptoms you can't really just pick the first supplement you see off the shelves as most supplements sold in the US contain only .5% hyperforin which has shown to be ineffective in trials. Be sure to purchase a high-quality supplement, preferable one that specifically states 5% hyperforin. St. John's Wort has a lot of beneficial properties so these lower-grade supplements still have some benefits in other areas, but are unlikely to provide any kind of benefit for alleviating depression symptoms.
 
A quality hyperforin supplement may be just the addition you need for your supplement regime to help fight your depression without the expense or unpleasant side effects of prescription drugs, but always be sure to consult your doctor first to help determine if it's a good choice for you. Hyperforin has been described as a potent uptake inhibitor for neurotransmitters (natural chemicals in the brain that transmit nerve impulses) such as norepinephrine and dopamine, preventing them from being reabsorbed into the nerve cells that produced them. Why is this important for depression sufferers? Depression almost always occurs because of an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain; uptake inhibitors keep produced neurotransmitters in circulation where they can do their job.
 
Having problems with depression doesn't mean that you'll automatically have to deal with it or that you'll have to go onto medications that are hard on your body and can cause many physical ailments that may rival the debilitating effects of the mental condition they're meant to correct. Ignoring depression is probably the worst thing you can do and treating it doesn't have to be costly and dangerous; often the best way to ensure you receive the best care for your condition is to approach the situation as informed as possible, including considering natural supplements to help alleviate symptoms.

Chinese Herbal Formulas to Treat Brain Symptoms and Disease

Quantum Brain Healing uses Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) along with other therapies to heal the brain. TCM utilizes both acupuncture and herbal medicine to treat disease. Modern medicine of the future looks to enhance brain function and intellect as well as treat existing diseases. Family history of certain brain diseases like senile dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's will be treated with herbal medicine prior to the disease's onset to prevent or diminish the severity of the disease. Quantum Brain Healing hopes to have diagnostic testing that can do cellular testing of herbs in a laboratory to pinpoint which herbs and herbal formulas will best treat the patient's disease.

Quantum Brain Healing often uses TCM herbal formulas for treating brain related symptoms and diseases. Below are several of the Chinese herbal formulas that may be used to treat and prevent brain diseases. The formulas are not intended to be purchased by a patient. These formulas are meant to expose people to the unique symptoms and diseases which can be treated or improved with TCM and direct patients into seeking an appointment with a TCM or alternative medicine doctor to receive the correct formula for their individual diagnosis. The Chinese formula descriptions are based on classic Chinese disease patterns. As patients take formulas, their symptoms will morph and formulas will be altered to these changes. It is possible that person's chronic illness will require the same herbal formula for an extended time period, but one should not assume this to be the case.

Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang He Sheng Mai San Jia Jian (Blue Poppy) is an antiaging formula which can treat stress, dizziness, fatigue, stimulate the immune system, and increase brain circulation to enhance the memory. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula is that it boosts the qi, enriches yin, and arouses the brain, but, because it upbears the clear and disinhibits the qi mechanism, it supplements without stagnating. In particular, this formula supports the organs that provide energy to the body which are the lungs, spleen, and kidneys. It boosts immunity, improves both physical and mental performance, and improves adaptation to stress. It is indicated for the treatment of qi and yin dual vacuity resulting in fatigue, lowered immunity, and aging. Immortal Qi can also be used as a sports performance-enhancing supplement as well as for the prevention and treatment of altitude sickness

Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang (Plum Flower or Blue Poppy) treats complaints such as stress, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, irritability, anger, nicotine withdrawal, drug withdrawal, alcohol withdrawal, frustration and schizophrenia. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula is liver-spleen disharmony with depressive heat, phlegm dampness, and disquieted heart spirit.

Jie Yu Ding Mian Fang or Resolve Depression & Stabilize Sleep (Blue Poppy) treats insomnia with irritability or emotional depression. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula is insomnia lasting for longer than three months and where patients may not sleep at all or sleep for one to two hours per night. Patient has a combination of liver depression qi stagnation with possible depressive heat and blood stasis with malnourishment and disquietude of the heart spirit.

Modified Eleven Flavors Warm the Gallbladder (Blue Poppy) treats symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, depression, PMS, and perimenopausal syndrome. The Chinese diagnosis includes heart-gallbladder qi timidity with depressive heat in the heart, liver, and possibly stomach and intestines. Heart-gallbladder qi timidity is the shorthand name for a more complex pattern. The entire disease pattern is based on the liver and spleen being out of balance with one another. This is liver depression and spleen qi vacuity with depressive heat and phlegm harassing the heart spirit. It also includes heart qi and blood vacuity due to enduring spleen vacuity.

Suan Zao Ren (Plum Flower) treats stress symptoms including migraine headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and mental agitation. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula includes nourishing the blood, clearing excess heat and calming the spirit

Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (Plum Flower) or Emperors Teapills treat mild to moderate cases of anxiety, irritable, concentration problems, senile dementia, memory problems, restlessness, and occasional insomnia. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula is that it nourishes Yin & blood, tonifies Heart & calms spirit.

Xiao Yao Wan (Blue Poppy) treats symptoms of neurosis, insomnia, irritation, panic, vertigo, anxiety, stress, dizziness, and depression. The Chinese diagnosis for this formula includes liver depression and spleen vacuity with blood vacuity and possible dampness.

Yi Nao Jiao Nang treats brain complaints of neurasthenia, insomnia, poor memory, profuse dreaming, brain arteriosclerosis and dizziness. The Chinese Diagnosis for this formula includes qi and blood deficiency with deficiency of kidney essence and liver and kidney yin.